Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin 8 during the third period timeout of the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 win at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Thursday, November 6, 2025. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUSA PIT2025110617 ARCHIExCARPENTER
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin 8 during the third period timeout of the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 win at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Thursday, November 6, 2025. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUSA PIT2025110617 ARCHIExCARPENTER
The Washington Capitals finished last season without making it to the playoffs. While they scored average with a 43-30-9 record, according to an analyst, they scored well in the offseason to address the mistakes this season.
The Hockey News reporter, Sammi Silber, went on to praise the Washington Capitals' offseason moves this week in a post on X. He talked about the new additions and returning young players as they head into the next season amid talks about Washington's chances of contending for the Stanley Cup.
“Honestly, the Caps impressed with their signings, but having Ilya Protas and Cole Hutson in the mix, a confident Ryan Leonard, a healthy Pierre-Luc Dubois and Alex Ovechkin back all pack promise,” the reporter wrote in a post on X on July 25.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 19: Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson 43 starts up ice during Game 3 of the NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals on May 19, 2021, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire NHL: MAY 19 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round - Capitals at Bruins Icon482210519067
BOSTON, MA - MAY 19: Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson 43 starts up ice during Game 3 of the NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals on May 19, 2021, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire NHL: MAY 19 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round - Capitals at Bruins Icon482210519067
Silber's praise on X comes after Washington made several moves this offseason to rebuild its roster around captain Alex Ovechkin.
The centre Ilya Protas and defenseman Cole Hutson were added to address depth where Washington struggled last season. Ryan Leonard enters this season with one year of experience, while Pierre-Luc Dubois is working on getting back to his form. Dubois went through injuries that allowed him to play only 29 games last season.
“Add in Logan Thompson in net, and this is a DEEP team that can make serious noise," added the analyst in the same post.
Since becoming a full-time NHL starter in 2021-22, Logan Thompson ranks sixth among qualified goaltenders with a .912 save percentage.
Washington also acquired forward Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues in June, then landed Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres on an eight-year, $84 million deal. The team also signed forward Boone Jenner and defenseman Vincent Desharnais as free agents.
Alex Ovechkin's return for a 22nd season confirmed the roster's plans to make a comeback. He signed a one-year contract within minutes and expressed his excitement.
“On paper, you can see our team is one of the best teams,” Ovechkin said as per NHL.com. “But now we have to work for the Stanley Cup, for the playoffs first and then the Stanley Cup.”
However, there is a bigger question at the end: just how realistic is a serious Stanley Cup run this season?
Capitals' last season's performance
Washington holds a record of 43-30-9 from last season, but it was not enough to reach the playoffs. The Capitals scored 261 goals and allowed 243.
According to the NHL stats, Ovechkin still led the team with 32 goals and 64 points, while Dylan Strome led the team in assists. Thompson set their spot with 30 wins, as the team’s MVP.
Dubois' health was a bigger deal as he missed 47 games with abdominal and adductor injuries. He then broke his hand late in the season shortly after returning.
The last season marked Washington's first missed postseason since 2022-23. The Capitals reached the second round in 2024-25 before being defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes. After scoring a record 929 goals across 1,573 games, the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer will suit up for a 22nd season.
"The Ovechkin thing was independent of it," Capitals general manager Chris Patrick told ESPN. "Ovi or not, to make ourselves a playoff team, we needed to add some more forward talent. And that's what we did."
Washington won their last and only Stanley Cup on June 7, 2018.
What do you think about the Capitals' chances this season? Let us know in the comments below.
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Written by
Aadhya Nalla
Edited by
Soheli Tarafdar